1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process cartridge, a method of assembling the process cartridge, and a connecting member for use in the assembly of the process cartridge.
Here, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium (e.g. paper, an OHP sheet or the like) by the use of an electrophotographic image forming process. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (e.g. a laser beam printer, an LED printer or the like), a facsimile apparatus and a word processor or the like.
Also, the process cartridge refers to at least one of charging means, developing means, cleaning means, etc. as process means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge, which is made detachably mountable on an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as the image forming apparatus) using an electrophotographic image forming process, there has heretofore been adopted a process cartridge system in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge, which is made detachably mountable on an image forming apparatus main body. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be carried out by a user himself without resort to a serviceman and therefore, operability could be markedly improved. So, this process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.
As an example of such a process cartridge, there is one constituted by a cleaner unit having a photosensitive drum, a charging device and a cleaning device, and a developing unit having developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum. Supporting holes are formed in the opposite ends of a cleaning frame the cleaning unit has. Also, connecting holes are formed in the opposite ends of a developing container unit the developing unit has. With the connecting holes and the supporting holes put together, pins are inserted from the opposite ends of the cleaner unit into the connecting holes and the supporting holes, whereby the developing unit and the cleaner unit are connected together.
Regarding the connection of the cleaner unit and the developing unit in the conventional process cartridge, there is known one in which a pin connects the cleaner unit and the-developing unit together and at the same time, is engaged with an electrode for supplying-electric power to a charging device (charging means) for charging the photosensitive drum (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-112318).
However, in a construction wherein a connecting member for connecting the cleaner unit and the developing unit together is used as an electric power supplying member, it has been required to more enhance the reliability of electric power supply.